The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921
Vol. XC No. 27
unewsonline.com
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The UNews sports staff takes a look at the highlights from the 2010-2011 season >>SPORTS
Billiken Athletics Recap
As a senior at Saint Louis University, Andrew Gelstein often finds himself feeling stressed and anxious after his classes. Gelstein lights up more than 15 cigarettes a day while on campus to get a sense of relief. “It is something I started freshman year, and at first I did it socially. Then I did it because it gave me something to do, and now I smoke so that I am not stressed after class,” Gelstein said. “I wish I could quit, but no one wants to quit by themselves, and it is so easy to go outside and light up on campus.” More than 500 colleges across the nation have committed to making smoking on campus more difficult for students like Gelstein by banning the activity completely. Washington University in St. Louis is smoke free, the University of Missouri-Columbia has recently committed to going entirely smoke free by 2014 and other universities in the area are currently revising their smoking policies. “It has been a long evolution. We have worked to make the campus a healthier environment, and studies have shown that a healthy work environment can lead to a
healthier work force,” Associate Director of the MU News Bureau Christian Basi said. Currently, SLU and Webster University are the only universities in St. Louis that have not begun a revision of their current smoking policies. SLU’s current policy prohibits smoking within all non-residential, Universityowned and -leased buildings, on the Medical Center and on sidewalks within 20 feet of building entrances. “The conversations that we have had in the past to change our policy have been primarily based on student interest from year to year,” Vice President for Facilities Management and Civic Affairs Kathleen Brady said. “I don’t know how effective a ban would be for SLU because it would be difficult to enforce.” The SLU Medical Center is currently smoke free, and Brady said that enforcement of that policy is proving to be difficult, as cigarette butts are often found outside by the buildings. “No student wants to walk behind someone smoking; the good thing is that I don’t see many students smoking on campus,” junior Matt Spector said. “There aren’t many ash trays on campus, and so students litter their cigarettes all over.”
Managing Editor
Shah (Yuqing Xia) / Associate Photo Editor
Freshman Olivia Hunter walks, talks and smokes during a break between classes. The student interest to make the entire campus smoke free resides largely in Smoke Free SLU, a student group created in 2007. The goal of the group is to “make the campus healthier by eliminating or greatly reducing secondhand smoke exposure through a comprehensive smoke-free campus policy.” President of Smoke Free SLU, Jean Puccinelli, said that more information needs to be gathered from the SLU community regarding smoking. “The current enforcement
sity Bookstore Tricia Polley said. “Saving students money is always our goal.” While planning for the upPolley said that the option coming semester, sophomore of renting books can save stuJoe Denk said he goes online dents more than 50 percent when purchasing his books of the cost of a newly printed for his biology major and core textbook. classes. Denk said the price Freshman Terra Kreiner, tag of these academic texts, who generally spends $400 on even with online deals, of- her textbooks each semester, ten costs him approximately said she usually goes online $1,000 per semester- a pricey to sites like Chegg.com to purchase for any college stu- purchase them because she dent. feels the texts at the UniverSaint Louis University is sity bookstore are overpriced. attempting to relieve some However, Kreiner said she of the finanmay try cial burdens the new opstudents tion to rent face when them. The book renting syspurchasing “If the textbooks. tem will be great for bookstor e Beginning offers rentin the fall se- students, and it is nice al books at mester, the to have more options a decent University price, I will b o o k s t o r e when searching for my d e f i n i t e l y will begin books. go there at textbook because its rental op- -Joe Denk much less tion as part hassle,” of the anKreiner nual Cash for Books program. said. “I think that could be a According to the University good idea as long as they keep bookstore, the rental option the prices reasonable.” aims to offer students more The rental period begins flexibility when finding books the day the textbook is orfor their courses. dered and continues until the “It irritates me that I have last day of the finals each seto buy these books that you mester. maybe use only once,” Denk Students are encouraged said. “The book renting sys- to sell their used textbooks tem will be great for students, back to the University bookand it is nice to have more op- store so that more lowertions when searching for my priced texts can be sold the books.” following semester. Used Last fall, Barnes & Noble, books are 25 percent cheaper the owner of the University than new texts. When returnBookstore, offered a trial run ing used textbooks, students at the rental program to more must present a valid SLU ID than 300 universities across card and Banner number. Rethe country and found that gardless of where they were nearly 90 percent of students purchased, the University were satisfied with the option bookstore will accept used to rent their textbooks. texts. Students can visit slu. “This is a very great pro- bncollege.com or mybookvalgram because it gives stu- ue.com to see if their texts are dents options when searching being used in courses at the for books on campus,” Text- University for the next semesbook Manager for the Univer- ter. By ANDREA ROYALS
Most area schools tighten smoking rules Editor-in-Chief
Must-see Summer movies
Bookstore begins renting policy
Breaking the habit By JONATHAN ERNST
Check out the top movies of Summer 2011 >> ARTS
plan at SLU doesn’t work, and it has been a constant struggle to get SLU to go smoke free, but it has to keep going,” Puccinelli said. Smoke Free SLU currently has 10 members, all of which are graduating, and is looking to increase their recruitment efforts for next year. Puccinelli said that she is looking for someone to lead the group next year. The group did not file for any funding from the See “Smoking” on Page 3
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Stress levels related to attitude GIC speech: More food for thought Students encouraged to talk about anxiety By KRISTEN MIANO News Editor
With finals a week away, students all over Saint Louis University’s campus are saying the same thing. “I’m feeling stressed,” sophomore Mary Anderson said. “I haven’t really started studying.” Michael Ross, a professor of Clinical Psychology at SLU, said stress about big events like finals is normal. The stress, however, stems not from the event itself, but from the appraisal of the event. “The first component of a stressor is that it’s usually some change or something that’s taxing us in some way,
Kati Cundari / Associate Photo Editor
From left: Freshmen Maggie Speck-Kern, Eleanor Humphrey and Luke Ducey study for their finals.
and the second piece is how well we think we can cope with that,” Ross said, “so it is our appraisal of the stressor and our appraisal of how we can manage it.” Ross said that often with the same event, people either accept the stress as an opportunity or allow it to make them miserable. Those who measure the stress as an approachable challenge often fair better than those who let the gravity of the situation consume them. “With stress, there are physiological changes that occur and emotional changes. People are more nervous, and we may shake, we may have shortness of breath, and then you have the cognitive components, which is that worry,” Ross said. “We worry about it, and think about it, and it goes over and over, which is not particularly productive unless we are coming up with plans to do something about it.” While experiencing high levels of stress, according to Ross, resistance to the stressor actually goes up initially. Over time, however, this resistance weakens the immune system, making the stressed individual more susceptible to illness. This is why students commonly get sick after finals—their defenses are worn out. Meredith Obsorn, a counselor in Student Health and Counseling Services, said that the biggest side effect of stress she sees in students is a heightened level of anxiety, which can lead to panic attacks and increase drug and alcohol use. “We did the Missouri College Health and Behavior Survey, and we had 85.3 percent of students report that stress interferes with their personal
life. That’s a high percentage,” Obsorn said. “We also had 69.7 percent report academics were the biggest source of stress. Time management was 47.2 percent, and financial concerns and social relationships were both stressors as well.” If a student comes to Counseling services to deal with stress issues, the counselors will set up a one-on-one meeting to really get to the heart of the matter and discuss tactics for dealing with the stress. “Stress just doesn’t go away, so we talk about ways to manage it,” Obsorn said. “SLU students report reaching out to friends and peers when they are stressed but also to spiritual advisors and academic advisors.” Students also cited using time management skills, smiling and laughing, taking naps, deep breathing, shopping and crying as ways they cope. Ross also strongly advocated exercise as excellent way to cope. “There have been several studies that shows exercise has tremendous effects on stress,” Ross said. “Just take a walk, wander around campus or get out and do something.” Health and Counseling encourages students to seek help if the stress becomes overwhelming or if it drives them to use extreme coping measures, such as drinking heavily, drug abuse or disordered eating. When stress starts interfering with life or relationships, talking to someone is highly encouraged. Students will continue to battle stress, but many are glad there is an end in sight. “I’ll be glad when it’s over,” freshman Sarah Harrington said. “I’m looking forward to May 17th.”
Curtis Wang / Photographer
Writer and vegetarian convert Jonathan Safran Foer addressed the Saint Louis University Community during the last event hosted by the Great Issues Committee of the academic year. Held in the Wool Ballrooms in the Busch Student Center, Foer presented a lecture entitled “What We Are and What We Eat,” based on his non-fiction memoir “Eating Animals.” Foer’s presentation discussed the ethical decisions surrounding the consumption of animals.
South campus construction moving forward By ANDREA ROYALS Managing Editor
Members of the Saint Louis University Health Sciences campus have been awaiting the completion of a new outdoor recreation complex and education union at the Medical Center since last year. This summer, their anticipation will come to an end. “We are very excited about the growth down here,” Vice President of the Health Sciences campus and Dean of the School of Medicine Philip Alderson said when the project began. The growth, which includes a 30,000-square-foot Education Union and NCAA regulated stadium, is expected to be completed in June, University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., said in his April message. “Right now, I have all but
one of my classes on the medical campus, so I am over there a lot,” Caitlin McCumber, a freshman in the School of Nursing, said. “Every time I see the progress that has been made on it, I get more and more excited.” McCumber said next year all of her classes will be held on the Health Sciences campus, and it will be nice to have a designated place to do homework. The Education Union plans include study space, a student lounge, a 225-seat computerized lecture hall, a cafe and a state-of-the-art Patient Simulation Center. Students can use one of the eight patient simulation labs to practice skills with actors as ill patients. The Education Union will also be home to the Office of InterProfessional Education, allowing students from the various colleges at the Medical Cen-
ter to combine resources and to collaborate. “I think [the Education Union] will offer a great See “Med Campus” on Page 3
Congratulations, seniors!
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